In various scientific fields, it is useful to grow cells in a culture media (such as a liquid suspension) over an extended period of time. However, increasing cell numbers results in the depletion of nutrients in the culture medium. When the media is allowed to stagnate, cell growth is inhibited and the cells can die.
Accordingly, the cell culture suspension must be stirred in order to effectively grow cells. A spinner flask is a type of cell culture vessel that employs a suspended impeller driven by an external rotating magnet under the base of the spinner flask to maintain the cells in suspension. However, impellers impart hydrodynamic stress on growing cells that can damage cells or alter their morphology. Impellers are usually suspended in the cell culture media and are stirred via a direct coupling to an overhead motor, or through magnetic induction from a rotating magnet in the base of the support for the culture flask. If the impeller rotation or movement is too strong or the blades are too rigid or too long, the cells may be sheared by the force of the impeller or blades. Likewise, if the impeller rotation or movement is too weak or the blades are too short, the cells may not remain suspended.
Further, care must be taken not to contaminate the culture media. Spinner flasks have typically consisted of glass and metal reusable cell culture vessels comprising an amalgam of working parts each of which requires cleaning, sterilization (usually by autoclave) and proper storage between uses. Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive, disposable, pre-sterilized, fully integrated cell culture vessel which provides gentle stirring to prevent shearing and keep cells suspended.